West Ham United in hunt for Luiz Felipe transfer as £17m bid tabled
Real Betis are considering selling defender Luiz Felipe after West Ham tabled a £17million bid, according to Spanish media outlet, El Chiringuito TV.
The Brazilian-born defender has represented Italy at international level and featured 23 times for Betis during the 2022/23 season.
Felipe is contracted to the La Liga side until the summer of 2027, however, it’s believed the Hammers have tested the waters with an initial bid (El Chiringuito TV, 30 June).
Right idea
When looking at the Hammers’ summer business – defensive reinforcements have to be on the cards for David Moyes. Angelo Ogbonna is ageing and will need replacing at some point. Kurt Zouma and Nayef Aguerd have struck up a good partnership, but cover will be required.
Thilo Kehrer has proven himself to be an excellent utility man for Moyes but whether he is a first-choice option at the heart of the defence remains to be seen.
We all know the West Ham boss loves utilising the defensive market as much as he can. It feels as if he will always look to make his squad more robust at the back before looking to improve on other areas.
On the face of it, the Real Betis centre-back seems like a solid investment. He’s young and improve if he does make the switch to the London Stadium.
West Ham fans will now be hoping for the summer to kick into full swing. Declan Rice’s move to Arsenal is almost complete and that will land a significant sum in the coffers. It’s absolutely essential that the £100million plus fee is spent wisely.